Bettis, Faulk, Martin, Roaf, Sanders are Hall of Fame finalists

Posted by Michael David Smith on January 9, 2011, 11:38 AM EDT

Five players who are eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame for the first time this year have made the list of 17 finalists who will be considered for induction when the selection committee meets on the day before the Super Bowl.

Jerome Bettis, Marshall Faulk, Curtis Martin, Willie Roaf and Deion Sanders all made the cut. They will be joined by 10 others who have been considered before, as well as the two senior nominees, Chris Hanburger and Les Richter, who were announced in August.

Marshall Marshall Marshall !!! Its hard to exclude any of the five. Each player was consistently great for their careers.

touchdownroddywhite says:Jan 9, 2011 11:59 AM

If Martin doesn’t get in, it’s a crime. Wasn’t he the oldest RB to ever win the rushing title? I remember watching an interview where they showed him power running up this nasty, steep set of stairs to train in the off season. The guy’s determination was unreal.

greenbaysucks says:Jan 9, 2011 12:01 PM

@raiderjack – #2 all time? Come on man…

Tim Brown was good, almost great. If he was that great, he’d a been a first ballot HOF player, no question. Top 10? Yeah, he did rack up good numbers on a lot of terrible teams, you know that best.

Cris Carter was a beast. Best hands in the NFL.

ralphwilsonsucks says:Jan 9, 2011 12:02 PM

Reed, played outside, not in nice weather. Best Run after the catch guy.

bigtrav425 says:Jan 9, 2011 12:05 PM

Tim Brown,Cris Carter,Dawson,Sanders,Roaf…i do think Haley belongs in and im borderline on doleman

Sanders is a lock.
Martin & Bettis should also be- but it wouldn’t surprise me to see only Martin in, this round.
Roaf? No problem- but- how do you put Roaf in- if Dawson isn’t in yet???
Same goes for Tim Brown. Chris Carter has to get in before Brown does.
Dent, Haley, and Doleman- I think all three take votes away from one another; which is too bad. Dent and Haley should probably be in- and I wouldn’t be upset to see Doleman in either.

8man says:Jan 9, 2011 12:10 PM

Curtis Martin was a standout professional for both the Patriots and the Jets.

Merely seven days away from Sexy Rexy Bowl V, is this ironic or coincidental?

Faulk, Roaf and Sanders should definately get in. This might be the year Tim Brown and Chris Carter both get in as well. Dont think the Bus will make it this time.

sportsjustice says:Jan 9, 2011 12:16 PM

I’m a Patriots fan and it’s not many topics that can unite me with a Jets fan. But there is almost complete a complete overlap on how we feel about Curtis Martin. What a class individual, you may never find a better person who’s played this game. On the football field, could there ever be a more consistent player? BTW, he played 8 straight season with a brace on his knee and not one of those comfortable new ones. Boy-Wonder is the headliner of this group for me. As a Pats fan I will always remember the Fog game against the Steelers in the ’96 Super Bowl Season.

You can say all you want about every guy on the list BUT the line to Canton starts with Charles Haley and everyone else lines up after him. You can talk all the stats that you want BUT no one on that list can show as much championship bling as he can and whether you thought he was a pain in the ass or not, he was there when it counted and he made others better because the other team was trying to stop HIM.

I also think that they need to pull out owners, coaches, GMs and other contributors and give them a separate vote instead of having them take up a spot. I’ve got nothing against Sabol and think that he belongs but he shouldn’t take the spot of a player. I also think that it’s a shame that Bud Adams isn’t in but that a couple of his Foolish Club members are (Nothing against them but Bud was just as important to the AFL and he helped a lot of them make it to payday).

tdk24 says:Jan 9, 2011 12:25 PM

Carter is a cokehead.

fullnelson3 says:Jan 9, 2011 12:29 PM

steelers6pack
You may want to see Deion cry all summer but that won’t be happening. He’s a first ballot HOF lock!

sanders would be a joke, the only one on the top list is martin if they put tim brown or that joke carter in it would be a slap in the face to all H.O.Fers that are in. carter makes a joke out of him self every week and bettis should not even be on the list. WHAT A JOKE faulk, thats an insult to dent and roaf

dempsey63 says:Jan 9, 2011 12:40 PM

If there was only one Guy that I could vote for…

maddogwhite says:Jan 9, 2011 12:51 PM

@pastabelly says:
Jan 9, 2011 12:32 PM
Bettie belongs in the Hall of Very Good. Martin is a Hall of Famer. Faulk probably makes it. But he was helped by playing with great QBs.

You need to get your head out of your arse. Faulk vs Martin is NO CONTEST. Faulk is easily a first ballet HOF. Martin may get in in 2-3 years. Faulk is a Super Bowl Champ, a League MVP, and was voted in the top #100 players of all time — none of of which Martin did. Martin also did not have the hands to catch like Faulk and was never considered the premiere back in the league. Oh and Bettis is more of a HOFer than Martin — one of the top 3 power backs of all time, and a SB champ.

People need to quit looking at stats. Stats are for baseball. Football is about the RINGS.

scrotiemcb says:Jan 9, 2011 12:57 PM

If Terrell Davis plays in Chicago, NY, NE or LA, he is a first ballot HoFer. Its not so much what you did as where you lived. For example, Curtis Martin couldn’t carry TD’s jock. Its just another reason to take the Hall no more seriously than the morons that get to decide who gets in.

And anybody that wants to throw Elway and Zimmerman out as examples of the media’s righteousness, save it. Blind circus monkeys would have enshrined Elway, and its hard to pass on the only guy voted to two all-decade teams (Zimmerman).

slippyal2 says:Jan 9, 2011 1:01 PM

Faulk and Sanders are first ballot. Reed and Haley should make it in this year. Haley shifted the power from the 49ers to the Cowboys. Reed was the best WR after the catch and played in the rough weather of Buffalo. Reed had 3 TDs in “the greatest comback” in NFL history, can’t think of Tim Brown or Cris Carter having a clutch game in the playoffs.

walleye436 says:Jan 9, 2011 1:02 PM

Anybody but Modell……

walleye436 says:Jan 9, 2011 1:05 PM

If Modell was to get elected he would have the most fans there for sure…….cheering the loudest.

raiderjack says:Jan 9, 2011 1:15 PM

@greenbay sucks. If tim brown had been in a good situation, like jerry rice or andre reed. He would have been a first ballot lock. I could name atleast 20 qbs who have thrown passes to him. He put up amazing numbers with never having a good qb( was top 3 in catch yards and tds for wr’s when he retired) not to mention he was an exceptional special teams player. Tim Brown>Chris Carter no doubt about it.

ralphwilsonsucks says:Jan 9, 2011 1:38 PM

Reed played in the worst weather folks. He didn’t play in a dome like Carter. Ever been to Rich stadium in the winter with winds blowing sideways.

i hope CURTIS “MY MAN” MARTIN does not go under the radar with the voters

fireeyes111 says:Jan 9, 2011 2:01 PM

I’m thinking this year is Faulk, possibly Deion, Sabol, one of Carter or Brown (both of whom probably have to get in before Reed does), and one of the senior committee guys.

Bettis, Martin, Roaf, not nearly the calibre that a first-ballot HOF’er needs to be. Deion probably isn’t either, to be honest.

Deb says:Jan 9, 2011 2:02 PM

Congrats to all the finalists, especially Steelers Jerome Bettis and Dermontti Dawson. Offensive linemen are often overlooked, but if the voters are familiar with Dawson’s career, he absolutely should go into the hall sooner rather than later. With so many runners in the mix, it’s a difficult call, but of course, my heart is with the Bus.

profootballwalk says:Jan 9, 2011 2:06 PM

Jerome Bettis – number five all time rushing yards 13,662. Eight times over 1000 yards plus one year over 900. Three times over 1400 yards.

kegowhisky says:Jan 9, 2011 2:09 PM

If you go on talent and results, I’m not sure how Deion doesn’t make it with 2 SB rings and selected for the Pro Bowl 8 times out of 12 seasons. Unless there’s a conspiracy amongst voters to deny him just to watch him whine all next year just for comedic value. In Terry Bradshaw’s words: Now THAT’s funny!

debthebusybody says:Jan 9, 2011 2:25 PM

Like them all … no Bettis though Steelers blow!

spergonwynn says:Jan 9, 2011 2:34 PM

Bettis is not a Hall of Famer. The only stat one needs to look at is Yards per Carry…….3.9. That is okay, but not Hall of Fame caliber.

steelmeats says:Jan 9, 2011 2:38 PM

How can anyone say Bettis was just a good running back. His and martins stats are almost identical. He had almost 1500 more rushing yards than faulk(although faulk dominates them all in td’s). People don’t give Bettis enough credit

ham1 says:Jan 9, 2011 2:40 PM

The may need to widen the doors at Canton just to get Sanders big head bust in the door.

steelmeats says:
Jan 9, 2011 2:38 PM
How can anyone say Bettis was just a good running back. His and martins stats are almost identical.
================================
Martin has over 2,000 more receiving yards than Bettis along with his slight lead in career rushing. Should runners with 3.9 per carry, who don’t do much in the receiving game, get into the HOF?

Ray Guy may not even be the best Raiders punter ever. Enough of him already. If any punter gets in, maybe it should be Feagles.

cromartiesmydaddy says:Jan 9, 2011 3:26 PM

Curts Martin ahead of TD??????? Crazy

footballhistorian says:Jan 9, 2011 4:46 PM

My input – Chris Carter (rough beginning – ended up straightening himself out and becoming one of the best)
Curtis Martin, Jerome Bettis, Charles Hayley, and Marshall Faulk.
NO to Freon Sanders. If the voters could justify not admitting Bob Hayes for so long – they can do the same for the loud mouth, no tackling jerk-off Sanders. Bob Hayes was a significant reason for the development of zone defense. Sanders was great at returning kicks and one-on-one coverage…and being an intolerable @$$hole. I want to hear him snivel and whine. Especially after all his b!tching about where he was listed on the NFL 100 greatest list.

Sanders, Faulk, Sharpe, Dent, Haley…Shout out to Arthur Monk, who should go before Reed or Brown or Carter.

kaientai72 says:Jan 9, 2011 5:17 PM

A maximum of seven candidates can go in, and there is a very good chance that could happen. Look for Sabol to get in. Faulk, Sanders and Roaf should get in on their first year. Martin and Bettis may cancel each other out, but both of them won’t get in. http://www.notinhalloffame.com ranks Faulk #1 on their football list with Sanders at #2

bigtrav425 says:Jan 9, 2011 5:21 PM

Sanders is a lock! i wasnt a fan but how can he not be? i would agree with bettis…very good but def not great

jethro007 says:Jan 9, 2011 5:34 PM

Terrell Davis before Sharpe. No way for Sanders on the 1st vote.

This guy has it correct–
scrotiemcb says:
Jan 9, 2011 12:57 PM
If Terrell Davis plays in Chicago, NY, NE or LA, he is a first ballot HoFer. Its not so much what you did as where you lived. For example, Curtis Martin couldn’t carry TD’s jock. Its just another reason to take the Hall no more seriously than the morons that get to decide who gets in.

And anybody that wants to throw Elway and Zimmerman out as examples of the media’s righteousness, save it. Blind circus monkeys would have enshrined Elway, and its hard to pass on the only guy voted to two all-decade teams (Zimmerman).

Once again, the powers that be embarrassed themselves by leaving Art Model out of the HAll!

richm2256 says:Jan 9, 2011 10:54 PM

Art Modell …… the guy who fired the great Paul Brown, who built a team that won a championship the very next year, and the Browns never won anything after that…. the guy who ripped the heart out of an entire city when he moved the Browns to Baltimore…..